Crutch tip



1959 c. JACUZZI CRUTCH TIP Filed July 10, 1956 F "NIH" INVENTOR. 0A AID/D0 JAOUZZ/ BY f H/S A TTORNEYS United States Patent O CRUTCH TIP Application July 10, 1956, Serial No. 596,959 Claims. (Cl. 135-62) My invention relates to crutches and more particularly to a crutch tip for use on crutches.

Among the objects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved crutch tip;

(2) To provide a noval and improved crutch tip of the suction grip type which automatically breaks the suction when the crutch is relieved of pressure;

(3) To provide a novel and improved crutch tip in which the end which is subject to wear may be readily replaced. 1

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my improved crutch tip installed on a crutch;

Figure 2 is a view in section through the installed tip of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view partly in section depicting the tip of Figure 2 when under pressure;

Figure 4 is a view in section in the plane 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view directed at the under side of the crutch tip of the preceding views.

For details of my invention in its preferred form, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein the preferred embodiment illustrated comprises a crutch socket component 1 for reception of the lower end of a crutch 3, such crutch socket being preferably molded of rubber or like material with internal ribs 4 to grip the crutch, and further having a metal cup insert 5 molded into the bottom thereof.

Flexibly connected to the crutch socket component is a suction pad component 7 having a suction recess 9 in the under side thereof bounded by one or more concentric ground engageable rims 11 of resilient material, such suction pad component being preferably formed of material such as rubber or the like.

The means for flexibly connecting the suction pad component to the crutch socket component includes a metal ball 13 depending from the cup insert by a connecting stem 15 and a wall 17 of rubber or other expausible material on the suction pad component enveloping the ball to provide a socket therefor, thus constituting the flexible connection, a ball and socket joint in the present instance. The enveloping wall is of suflicient resiliency as to permit of the forced separation or removal of the ball from its socket.

The suction pad is provided with an air passage 19 extending therethrough from the ball socket to the suction recess, and by allowing sufficient looseness or play between the ball and the wall of its socket, the air passage through the suction pad may be extended by way of the ball socket to the outside atmophere. It will be apparent from the foregoing that the ball when exposed to downward-pressure will function as a valve and seal 01f such passage.

To assure free flow of air from atmosphere to the suction recess in the absence of such pressure, vertical grooves 21' may be formed in the spherical inner wall of the ball socket, particularly adjacent the entrance to such socket, to forestall any possibility of closing off the opening to the ball socket upon elevating the ball therein.

It will be apparent now, that upon application of pressure to the crutch, as when bringing the weight of the body thereon, the air passage may be effectively blocked by the ball, in the manner clearly indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings. Simultaneously with the application of such pressure, air in the suction recess 9 of the suction pad will be squeezed therefrom to produce a partial vacuum causing the crutch tip to effectively grip the engaged surface.

So long as pressure is applied to the crutch, such vacuum grip will be maintained. However, immediately upon relieving the crutch of such pressure, as when the user desires to advance the crutch to eifect a forward step, the air passage will become unblocked in the manner indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings, whereby air from the surrounding atmosphere will be admitted to the suction recess to break the suction and release the suction pad, whereupon the crutch may be readily lifted and advanced in the manner of its intended use.

To inhibit wear and increase the life expectancy of the tip, a wear insert 23 may be advantageously molded in the bottom of the ball socket, such insert having a sufliciently large central hole as to leave the air passage surrounded by rubber to provide an effective valve seat for the ball to seal the air passage, while the wear is taken up by the insertf By reason of the specific ball and socket construction employed in the preferred embodiment described above, and more particularly the flexible wall enveloping the ball, the two component parts of the crutch tip may be readily snapped apart. The significance of this lies in the fact that the suction pad component being subject to considerable wear in use may be conveniently replaced at intervals with new suction pads. To assure this advantage, the wear insert 23 when employed, should be below the maximum thickness of the ball.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be apparent that same will fulfill the objects thereof, and although I have illustrated and described the same in its preferred form, the device is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles involved and I accordingly do not desire to be limited in my protection to the specific details so illustrated and described, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

1. A crutch tip comprising a crutch socket component, a suction pad component having a suction recess bounded by a ground engaging rim to create a suction therein upon application of pressure thereto, means flexibly connecting said suction pad to said crutch socket, said means including a ball and socket connection, said suction pad having an air passage exposed at one end to the atmosphere and terminating at its other end at said recess, and means responsive to pressure on said crutch socket for blocking said passage during application of such pressure only, whereby upon release of such pressure, air will enter said recess and break said suction.

2. A crutch tip comprising a crutch socket component for reception of a crutch, a suction pad component having a suction recess bounded by a ground engageable rim of resilient material to create a suction therein upon application of pressure thereto, means flexibly connecting said suction pad component to said crutch socket component, said means including a ball affixed to one of said components and a wall on the other of said components enveloping said ball to provide a socket therefor, said suction pad having an air passage extending therethrough from said ball socket to said suction pad recess, whereby in response to pressure applied to said crutch socket, said air passage will be blocked during application of such pressure only, and air will be ad= mitted to said suction pad recess upon release of such pressure, to break the suction therein.

3. A crutch tip comprising a crutch socket component for reception of a crutch, a suction pad component having a suction recess bounded by a ground engageable rim of resilient material to create a suction therein upon application of pressure thereto, means flexibly connecting said suction pad component to said crutch socket component, said means including a ball affixed to said crutch socket at the lower end thereof, and a wall on said suction pad enveloping said ball to provide a socket therefor, said suction pad having an air passage extending therethrough from said suction pad socket to said suction pad recess, whereby in response to pressure applied to said crutch socket, said ball will block said air passage during application of such pressure only, and permit admission of air to said suction recess upon release of such pressure, to break the suction therein.

4. A crutch tip comprising a crutch socket component for reception of a crutch, said crutch socket being of rubber, a suction pad component having a suction recess bounded by a ground engageable rim of resilient material to create a suction therein upon application of pressure thereto, means flexibly connecting said suction pad to said crutch socket component, said means including a ball depending from said crutch socket component by a connecting stem, a resilient Wall on said suction pad enveloping said ball to provide a socket therefor, said suction pad having an air passage extending therethrough from atmosphere by way of said suction pad socket to said suction pad recess, whereby in response to pressure 4 applied to said crutch socket, said ball will block said air passage during application of such pressure only, and permit admission of air to said such suction recess upon release of such pressure, to break the suction therein, and a wear insert in the suction pad socket forming wall and surrounding said air passage.

5. A crutch tip comprising a crutch socket component for reception of a crutch, said crutch socket being of rubber and having a metal cup insert in the bottom thereof, a suction pad component of rubber having a suction recess bounded by a ground engag'eable rim of resilient material, means flexibly connecting said suction pad to said crutch socket component, said means including a ball depending from said cup by a connecting stem, a resilient wall on said suction pad enveloping said ball to provide a socket therefor, said suction pad having an air passage extending therethrough from atmosphere by way of said suction pad socket to said suction pad recess, whereby in response to pressure applied to said crutch socket, said ball will block said air passage during application of such pressure only and permit admission of air to said suction recess upon release of such pressure to break the suction therein, and a wear insert in the suction pad socket forming wall and surrounding said air passage in spaced relationship thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,858 Cornelius Sept. 11 1900 765,984 Morris et al. July 26, 1904 2,262,063 Swarr Nov. 11, 1941 2,498,359 Coleman Feb. 21, 1950 2,857,925 Higginbotham Oct. 28, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 201,616 Australia Apr. 18, 1956 

